A photodegrading catalyst is a substance which is activated by photo energy having a short wave length such as light, particularly ultraviolet ray to exhibit catalytical ability for degrading compounds. Examples of known photodegrading catalyst are anatase-type titanium dioxide (TiO.sub.2), zinc oxide (ZnO), tungsten trioxide (W.sub.2 O.sub.3) and the like. It is known that those photodegrading catalysts degrade compounds emitting malodorous smell and have sterilizing ability, thus being used for deodorizing and for antibacterial purpose. In order for the photodegrading catalysts to exhibit their function effectively, it is necessary to contact the catalysts directly to harmful substances. However if materials carrying the photodegrading catalysts are organic substances, there is a case where the catalysts degrade the materials.
Since fluorine-containing resins represented by polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) are materials being free from such degradation, articles in the form of membrane such as sheet and film which comprise PTFE as a matrix resin and contain a photodegrading catalyst have been proposed ("Kogyo Zairyou", July 1996 (Vol. 44, No. 8). However in those forms, a photodegrading catalyst contained in PTFE does not function effectively, and there is a certain limit in its application to interior goods such as curtains.
A main object of the present invention is to provide a fibrous material having excellent deodorizing antibacterial property, by combining a photodegrading catalyst having deodorizing antibacterial activity with a fluorine-containing resin to make a fibrous material, thus enabling the photodegrading catalyst to be exposed more on the surface of the fibrous material, and to provide a cloth produced by using the fibrous material.